Apparatus for carbonizing solid fuel



Nov. 15, 1982.

A. CHABOT APPARATUS FOR CARBONIZING SOLID FUEL Filed Nov; 20. 1928 WEE? Patented Nov. 1932 PATENT OFFICE mum) cmmo'r, or mmuns, :annam APPARATUS FOB CABIBONIZING SOLID Application fled November 50, 1988, Serial No. 820,857, and in Belgium July 19, 1938.

The present invention is relative to an apparatus for carbonizingcoal or mixtures of coal and other solid fuel, intended to furnish finished products in blocks or pieces of '5 determined size and shape.

For this purpose, the product to be treated is placed, according to the invention, in moulds or matrices having the shape and the size of the finished products to be obtained,

10 said moulds or matrices forming part of a movable chassis or slide adapted to be placed in an ovenand whereby the finished products in blocks or parts of given size and shape can be obtained without having to employ 7- anybinding substance and without any preparation whatever." The thus obtained products have no longer to be broken to size and g give very little waste matter.

A11 oven for carbonizing coal or other fuels can comprise a long tube in cast iron or other material, in which are eflected the various stages of the combustion, i. e. drying, heating, distillation and carbonization.

According to the invention, this tube is divided into two longitudinal compartments, preferably superposed the one upon the other, whereby a lower compartment is obtained through which can pass an endless conveyor carrying the fuel or product to be treated, and an upper compartment adapted to collect the distillates coming from the lower compartment, said upper compartmentbeing fitted with outlet pipes for this purpose. Said two longitudinal compartments of the tube are separated by a device provided with apertures, slots or slits for the passage, from the lower into theupper compartment, of the volatile products produced in the lower compartment; this device provided with apertures, slots or slits can be formed of a perforated plate, which can be stationary or movable, or of a number of movable transverse rollers, capable of being shifted by the coal mass travelling in the lower compartment and being specially suited for coals which areliable to swell. The endless conveyor" can be formed of a chain of scrapers mposed of a number of segments forming the matrices or moulds of the products to be obtained, said chain of scrapers fitting exactly into the lower coinpartment of the tube.

Accordin to the invention, the upper compartment o the tube can be fitted with baflies, stoppers or the like, or can be constructeu in such a manner as to form a number of transverse chambers, separated from each other by said bafiles or the like, cooperating with the segments of the chain of scrapers, to form tight partitions between said chambers, whereby a distillation in several stages can be effected and the water, gases and tars of varying qualities can be obtained.

The heating of the oven can be effected by electricity or by the combustion of solid, liquid, gaseous or powdered fuel, and the hot ases will be directed into a channel or flue in contact with the tube, in such a manner as to heat consecutively the portion of the tube forming the carbonization chamber, the portion of the tube forming the distillation chamber and the portion 0 the tube forming the drying chamber. 7 According to the invention, the channel or flue for heating the tube can be provided with bafiies or partitions, or can be construct- 1 ed in such a manner that the heating of the tube is effected on all sides for certain portions of said tube, and that said tube is only heated along its lower side or its lower and one or two of its lateral sides forthe other portions, whereby the cavities and recesses in the mass are avoided. I

According to the invention, the tightness of the tube can be obtained by the segments of the endless conveyor or chain of scrapers,

filled with fuel to be treated at the fore end I of theoven andby the segments filled with finished products at the rear end of the oven,said segments travelling through parts of the tube of smaller cross sectional area prgevided at the front and rear end of the tu According. to the invention, the tube can comprise a number of portions of smallercross sectional area, such as the portions serving to secure the air-tightness of the tube, the

portion separating the drying chamber from the dlstlllation chamber and portions dividmg the distillation chamber into a number of sub-chambers, whereby a distillation in several stages can be obtained.

The invention will be described hereafter, with reference to the accompanylng drawing, which illustrates, merely by way of example, an embodiment of the mvention.

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section through the oven;

Fig. 2 is same;

Fig. 3 is a section through IIIIII of Fi .1;

ig. 4 is Fi 1;

Fi 5 is asection of V- of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a section of the tube through VV of Fig. 1, the tube being provided with rollers;

Fig. 7 is a part of the chain of scrapers.

With reference to the drawing, the oven comprises a tube g, which is divided long1- tudinally into two compartments by a perforated sheet metal plate k (Fig. 5) or by a series of rollers (Fig. 6). This perforated plate k, which can be stationary or movable, forms a lower compartment, in which can move the endless conveyor or conveyors, and one or more upper compartments, which receive the water vapour, gas and tar a section through IV-IV of the tube through distilled from the lower compartment, which latter products are discharged by the pipes 11 e The endless conveyor, which in the example illustrated on the drawingis formed of a chain of scrapers, but which could be formed, say of two chains, say of more chains of scrapers arranged side by side, or the one above the other, or in any other way, or which might be formed of one or more endless conveyors of difi'erent types, fits exactly in thelower compartment of the tube 9. The chain of scrapers 'f is formed of segments M (Fig. 7), constructed in such a manner that they form the matrice or mould of the products to be obtained, which Jnay be cubes, polyhedrons, briquettes, etc.

The upper compartment of the tube 9 is fitted with a number of bafiles or stoppers s, and in certain places the area of this upper compartment can "be reduced or completely suppressed to form parts 12 11 p of smaller cross sectional area, which bafiles s and parts comprises consecutively, starting from the fore end of the oven: a feed chamber, consisting of a hopper e and a piston 2', whicha horizontal section through the bers, by means of the baflies s, which cooper ate with the segments of the chain of scrapers to form tight partitions, whereby a distillation in several stages can be effected and 'distillates of varying qualities can be obtained and taken off bythe dilferent outlet pipes 7' a carbonization chamber a; a th rd part p of smaller cross sectional area, forming the cooling chamber cl, the cross sectional area of the tube of this part being such that the chain of scrapers fits exactly in the tube and forms an air-tight stopper. This latter arrangement of the tube 9 is also used forthe portion located between the feed hopper and the drying chamber. The cooling of the products in the cooling chamber 01 can be effected by the air or b a water circulation. It must be understoo that the number of baflies or stoppers 8, fitted in the distillation chamber 6, can vary to suit the circumstances and that they can be suppressed when a single continuous distillation chamber is required.

The oven can be heated by any means whatever: by electricity, by solid, liquid, gaseous or powdered fuel. The heating agent travels in the opposite direction of the chain of scrapers. In the embodiment illustrated, said heating, agent is formed at the rear end of the oven and is evacuated at the front end by the chimney n, after it has passed, if rebonization chamber a, so as to heat said tube on all sides (section IVIV, Fig. whilst the hot gases only travel along the bottom side or along the bottom side and one or two lateral sides of the tube g, in-the distillation chamber 6 (section IIIIII, Fig. 3), so as to prevent recesses or cavities being formed inslde the mass. The drying chamber a can also be advantageously heated on all sides.

. The dimensions of each chamber will be calculated according to the nature of the material to be treated and the duration of the various operations will be determined by the quality of the product charged in the oven.

The length of the various chambers will allow of calculating said duration. a

No air must be allowed to penetrate inside the tube. For this purpose,the chain 7 can be completely enclosed in an air-tight casing; the finished products can then be discharged It is obvious that the" shape of the combustion chamber will depend on the heating process employed. Similarly, the shape of the oven will vary according to circumstances; the oven may be of the single or of themultiple type, and in the latter case, the ovens can be arranged next to each other or can be superposed on each other. Each oven can comprise one or more chains, which can be disposed horizontally or vertically and the advancing speed of said chains will depend Y on the operation to be made in the oven. If,

instead of carbonizing coal, any other material was to be heated, either in contact with the air or in vacuum, or in any fluid whatever, at a constant or variable temperature, the speed would have to be appropriated to the results to be obtained. Y

The oven is of a very simple construction and only requires a very low driving power. The supervision, hand-labour and upkeep are exceedingly small; all parts of the oven "being easily accessible, the treatment can be followed from beginning to end. The oven does not present the slightest danger and its cost-price is very low.

The oven according to the invention allows of making in a continuous manner semicoke in parts or blocks of determined size,

without having to pass through a mechanical vpreparation, a mixture with binding substances or the various operations of crush-- ing, which always give rise to various classes of coal and at the same time to great quantities of waste matter. 'In this oven, the separation of the products such as water, tar, gas, is made in air-tight spaces and these products can be discharged separately from one another, whereby the quality of the thus recovered products is very high.

Moreover, during distillation, the oven is heated along its bottom side only, or alongits bottom and one or two of its lateral sides, whereby cavities in the coal mass are avoided.

The coke obtained is of suitable density and its value is thus very high.

The products distilled during coking can be obtained at all stages of the distillation, whereby their value is increased and great subsequent costs are avoided.

With this oven, mixtures of fine particles of bituminous coal with fine particles of nonbituminous coal or other coal or coke breeze,

or others can be used without having to employ a binding substance, and after the byproducts have been recovered, pieces or blocks of smokeless fuel of determined size can be obtained from said fuels.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for heating coal to produce agglomerate pieces of given size and shape comprising an endless chain of matrices having the size and shape of the agglomerate pieces of fuel tobe produced, means to compress the fuel into said matrices, an oven of rectangular cross section divided longitudinally into an upper compartment and a lower compartment having a height equal to that of the matrices, means to frictionally translate said matrices through said lower compartment, means for heating said oven on all sides in the first part ofits length and means for heating other parts of said oven on its bottom and a portion of its sides only.

2. Apparatus for heating coal to produce agglomerate pieces of given size and shape comprising an endless chain of matrices having the size and shape of the agglomerate pieces of fuel to be produced, means to compress the fuel into said matrices, an oven of rectangular cross section divided longitu- (llfitlly into an upper compartment and a lo er compartment having a height equal to that of the matrices,.the wall separating said upper and lower compartments having slots, means tofrictionally translate said matrices through said lower compartment, means for heating a part of said oven on all sides, means,

for heatin other parts of said oven on its bottom and a portion of its sides only, and

means to collect the vapours distilled from the.

fuel into the upper compartment.

3. Apparatus for heating coal to produce agglomerate pieces of given size and shape comprising an endless chain of matrices having the size and shape of the agglomerate pieces of, fuel to be produced, means to com press the fuel into said matrices, an oven of rectangular cross section divided longitudinally into an upper compartment and a lower compartment having a height equal to that of the matrices, a number of juxtaposed vbut narrowly spaced rotatable transverse rollers separating said upper and lower compartments, means to frictionally translate said matrlces-through said lower compartment, means for heating a part of said oven on all sides, means for heating other parts of said oven on its'bottom and a portion of its sides only, and means to collect the vapours distilled from the'fuel into the upper compartment.

4. Apparatus for heating coal to produce agglomerate pieces of given size and shape comprising an endless chain of matrices having the size and shape of the agglomerate pieces of fuel to be produced, means to compress the fuel into said matrices, an oven of rectangular cross section, a device longitudinally dividing said oven into a lower and an upper compartment along certain portions of its length, means to frictionally translate said matrices through said lower compartment, means for heating a part of said oven on all sides, means for heating other parts of said oven on its bottom and a portion of its sides only, transverse partitions in the upper compartment forming various chambers and means for separately collecting the ing the size and shape of the agglomerate pieces of fuel to be produced, an oven of rectangular cross section divided longitudinally into an upper compartment and a lower compartment having a height equal to that of the matrices,'the wall separating said upper and lower compartments having slots, means to frictionally translate said matrices through said lower compartment, means to heat at temperatures increasing along the length of the oven the first portion having the lowest temperature and heated on all sides, a sec,- ond portion heated on its bottom and part of its sides only and a third portion heated on all sides, and means to collect the vapours distilled from the fuel into the upper compartment.

6. Apparatus for heating coal to produce agglomerate pieces of given size and shape comprising an endless chain of matrices havmg*the size and shape of the agglomerate pieces of fuel to be produced. means for moving said endless chain. a feed hopper. a piston adapted to reciprocate in said hopper and tocompress the fuel into said matrices, an oven of rectangular cross section, a device longitudinally dividing said oven into a lower and an upper compartment, the cross sectional area of the lower compartment being equal to that of the endless chain,

means to frictionally translate the endless chain through said lower compartment, means to heat parts of tha'oven on all sides and other parts on the bottom and nortions of the .sides only, and means to collect chain and thus form fluid-tight packings with the matrices filled with fuel, a device longitudinally dividing said oven into a lower and an upper compartment, the cross sectional area of the lower compartment being equal to that of the endless chain, means to frictionally translate the endless chain through said lower compartment, means to heat parts of the oven on all sides and other parts on the bottom and on portions of the sides only, and means to collect the vapours distilled into the upper compartment.

'8. Apparatus comprising an endless conveyor formed with matrices having the size andshape of the agglomerate pieces of fuel to be produced, a feed hopper, a piston adapted to reciprocate in said hopper and to compress the fuel into the matrices, an oven of rectangular cross section having parts of smaller cross sectional area at both ends and intermediate its ends, the end parts being heat parts of the oven on all sides and other.

parts on the bottom and on portions of the sides only, and means to collect the vapours distilled into the upper compartment.

In testimony whereof I signed hereunto my name.

ARMAND CHABOT.

the vapours distilled mto theupper v partment. f p I 7. Apparatus for heating coal to produce agglomerate pieces of given size and shape comprising an endless chain of matrices having the size and shape of the agglomerate pieces of fuel to be produced, means for moving said chain, a feed hopper, a piston adapt ed to reciprocate insaid hopper and tocompress the iuel' into said matrices, an oven of rectangular cross section, said oven having parts of smaller cross sectional area at both ends and intermediate its ends, the end parts being such as to exactly embrace the endless 

